Question
The Dews drew quivering and Chill - For only Gossamer, my Gown - My Tippet - only Tulle - We paused before a House that seemed A Swelling of the Ground - The Roof was scarcely visible - The Cornice - in the Ground - Since then-tis Centuries-and yet Feels shorter than the Day I first surmised the Horses' Heads Were toward Eternity - 4. In stanza 4 what imagery creates a reeling of coloness? square 15. What does the house in stanza 5 symbolize? How do you know? square 6. In stanza 6 how much time passes? Why? square Think About Theme
Solution
4
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Xavi
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Answer
4. In stanza 4, the imagery that creates a feeling of coldness is the combination of "Dews drew quivering and Chill" with the speaker's thin clothing: "Gossamer" gown and "Tulle" tippet. Gossamer and tulle are both light, sheer fabrics that offer little protection from the cold, emphasizing the speaker's vulnerability and the penetrating chill of the dew. The word "quivering" further reinforces this sense of cold and fragility.5. The house in stanza 5 symbolizes a grave or tomb. Several clues point to this: "A Swelling of the Ground" suggests a burial mound. "The Roof was scarcely visible - / The Cornice - in the Ground" describes a structure that is sunk into the earth, much like a grave. The overall impression is of a low, almost hidden dwelling, fitting the image of a final resting place.6. In stanza 6, the speaker indicates that "Centuries" have passed since the described event. However, the speaker experiences this vast passage of time as feeling "shorter than the Day / I first surmised the Horses' Heads / Were toward Eternity." This paradoxical experience of time suggests that the speaker is now in a state beyond earthly time, likely death. The realization that the "Horses' Heads / Were toward Eternity" implies a journey to the afterlife, further supporting the interpretation of the house as a grave. The compressed sense of time highlights the profound shift in the speaker's perspective after death.